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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27823372">NOMINE</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/atalla/pseuds/atalla'>atalla</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ATEEZ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Female Protagonist, Fluff, Friendship is Magic, Learning Magic, Multi, Pining, Yunho is a flirt, a quest, complex, jongho best friend, magic ship, mingi and hongjoong join in later, names are pretty important, people suck, reader is scary at times, romantic relationships are not the focus here, seonghwa is hurt, they all need a big hug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:41:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,572</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27823372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/atalla/pseuds/atalla</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A Name is a Luxury.</p><p>Having the rare opportunity to lead a better life, she embarks on a journey that would shape her future.<br/>There are only two possible outcomes; she fails and remains nameless. Or she succeeds and becomes someone.</p><p>That is what they have told her.</p><p>But no one mentioned this:</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>ATEEZ Ensemble/Reader, Choi Jongho/Reader, Choi San/Reader, Jeong Yunho/Reader, Jung Wooyoung/Reader, Kang Yeosang/Reader, Kim Hongjoong/Reader, Park Seonghwa/Reader, Song Mingi/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. mist</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u"> <strong>PROLOGUE</strong> </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>[ It's always <span class="u">the storm</span> that brings him in. ]</em>
</p><p> </p><p>It was nearing evening on the eastern atmosphere and the air was significantly colder than it had been a few hours prior.</p><p>The lush green of the forest was submerged into the colourless fog and faded into dark hues of a past memory. On the highest points of the mist, the grey flowed into a gradient with the background of high mountains, their height overwhelming even the storm clouds which had stopped churning a few moments before.</p><p>The sky was still dark, but not as dark as before, and the bleary light was enough for him to see the picturesque view before him. However, he was not there to admire and waste time.</p><p>After all, it was the storm that had brought him there.</p><p>Following the blind sight of intuition, the dark figure walked through a cloud of mist and appeared to have arrived at a village of sort. It was a square that he was standing in, with a monument in the centre. There were about twenty to thirty homes situated near the middle circle of the settlement and most were engulfed in darkness. The houses were ranging from average to mildly expensive and the bells of the pale-white, ancient Gothic church with outwardly carved figurines rang the full clock ten times. The sound surrounded the village like a blanket and he felt the energy shift. Light bulbs went off in all houses like sparks of fire disappearing into the air and he watched in silence, the black suddenly much closer. Walking between the buildings, he searched.</p><p>After a flutter of a moment, a single window in the second floor of a pretty, wooden building was encased in warm luminescence. A candle, he presumed. It glowed over the objects in the room, casting shadows and making shapes. One of those shapes was that of a human. A female, with long hair, he noticed as he stepped closer, over the slippery stones chiselled into the ground, by-passing the curious monument in the middle.</p><p>At least now he knew what the storm brought him there to observe. Light was unusual after the shift, and her ignorance to the rules was… peculiar. He stood a few steps away from the dainty two-story house, the breeze lifting the ends of his slightly too long hair, and his eyes fixed on the subject of illumination. She was sitting by the window, facing the mountains on the end of the forest. He frowned, almost bored. <em>What was his purpose there, anyway?</em></p><p>He stirred in his place. <em>What?</em></p><p>The girl with the long hair raised her hand along with the light, which, as he had now seen with wide eyes, was definitely not coming from a candle.</p><p>
  <em>It was a Liniya.</em>
</p><p>There was no mistaking it, especially when observed by him. Shaking the hair out of his eyes, he glared to the holder of the first Liniya he had seen in… a very long time.</p><p>Besides the fact that she was in possession of it, how was she even able to hold it?</p><p>The iridescent colours swirled in the reflection of the girl’s eyes as she calmly turned the stone over, seemingly unbothered by the shining properties of the object. Like this was something she had done a thousand times before; like a thousand men had not died for this <em>unremarkable piece of rock</em>. He balled up his hands unconsciously. She was not worthy of carrying this <em>treasure</em>! Then how-?!</p><p>In a split of a second, her eyes met his.</p><p>The eye-contact made him almost lose his footing, barely catching on to keep himself upright. The girl’s mouth was slightly parted and the shadows on her face flickered when she quickly lowered the stone in her hand. After a few beats of his heart, she hesitantly raised the hand which was empty and waved it from the left and to the right thrice, before awkwardly letting it stay up, the corners of her lips raised.</p><p>
  <em>What???</em>
</p><p>The confusion mixed with previous abhorrence and it was clear on his face. Did she just wave? At <em>him</em>? He barely caught himself raising his hand and waving back as if on reflex before he flinched at his sudden stupidity and turned away from the girl’s prying eyes. What in the <em>Aallar</em> did he just do?</p><p>To prevent himself from doing something even more idiotic, he guided his feet into a walk and was soon engulfed by the mist once more.</p><p>He would be back for that <em>Liniya</em>.</p><p>And hopefully, he would not wave at the girl holding it. <em>Again</em>.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>*throws confetti*</p><p>welcome to my first AO3 work !<br/>i hope the seas will be steady for all of us on this journey. we have a long way to go.</p><p>enjoy !</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. R1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>▾</p><p><strong>{ </strong> <span class="u">p a r t  o n e</span> <strong> }<br/></strong> <em> <strong>THE RISE </strong> </em></p><p>"and so, the air arose"</p><p>▴</p><p>“Have you forgotten anything?”</p><p>“Well, if I <em>have</em>, I wouldn’t remember, would I?”</p><p>A groan sounded across the room and the corners of your mouth rose, but they were quickly released as a strong blow to your stomach caused you to huff out a breath. Grabbing hastily onto the heavy backpack your sister just threw to you, you glared.</p><p>“You’re such a good person,” you grumbled at her back as she observed your almost completely barren bedroom to make sure you had packed everything you needed.</p><p>Her short hair followed the affirmative movement of her head. “Of course, I am. I’m related to you.”</p><p>You didn’t know whether that was a compliment or a passive aggressive irony, so you just sighed, letting down the luggage in your hands. “Unnie, I have everything.”</p><p>“Not everything,” she turned to face you and her face wore a secretive smirk. Excitement bubbled inside you.</p><p>Thousand ideas erupted inside your mind; were you finally going to receive the family heirloom, just as your sister had when she’d left for the academy? <em>What even is the secret object? </em><em>A magic wand? No, too ordinary. A magic staff?</em> You shook away the goose bumps. <em>Staffs are way too outdated. You’d look ridiculous carrying that around.</em></p><p>
  <em>Then, maybe…</em>
</p><p>Your eyebrows furrowed into deep thought, a brilliant conclusion forming with riveting vigour.</p><p>
  <em>A magic… pet????</em>
</p><p>A flick to your forehead brought you out of your head and you yelped loudly at the pain.</p><p>“Stop overthinking it! It’s not anything big or exciting!” your sister shouted, waving her hands around. Then she turned away and- <em>was that a blush growing on her cheeks?</em> “I just meant you forgot your hug.”</p><p>You instantly melted into a puddle.</p><p>Letting out a happy laugh, you launched yourself into her arms. She was your best friend, the only person you could ever fully trust… and now you were leaving her. Something tied itself around your chest and pulled, until you felt water welling up on the outer corners of your eyes. Sniffling softly, you hugged her even closer.</p><p>“You’re acting as if we’ve never been apart,” her chuckle was muffled by your hair.</p><p>“But till now it’s always been you who was leaving,” you countered. “And now I’m the one leaving you.”</p><p>“I’m going to be just fine,” she snorted, breaking the hug to wipe at your fallen tear. Smiling, she shrugged. “I’ll be busy with the research anyway. I won’t have time to miss you.”</p><p>“Now that’s what everybody likes to hear when leaving home for months.”</p><p>You both laughed, but the moment came to a quick end when your eyes glanced over the clock behind your sister’s head. “Oh, <em>Viet</em>! I’m late?”</p><p>“What do you mean you’re late?!”</p><p>It took less than a minute for you to be thrown out into the sunlight, your bags not too far behind you. Another push and you were down the porch’s stairs, clutching onto your shoulder.</p><p>
  <em>She was so going to pay for that…</em>
</p><p>“HAVE FUN!! DON’T BE A LOSER! WAIT, BUT DON’T BE OVERLY SOCIAL. NOBODY LIKES SOMEONE WHO HAS MORE FRIENDS THAN NECESSARY. OH, OH, WAIT!”</p><p>You were already a few feet away from your house when you grumpily stopped in your tracks, rotated back and then spoke through gritted teeth: “What?”</p><p>She was already by your side. Her entire posture had changed. The smile you were expecting to see on her face was vacant. You stiffened as she grabbed your shoulders tightly, her gaze intently directed into your wide eyes. The shift made you sober up immediately.</p><p>“Forget everything that I said before, just please, remember this: <em>control your emotions</em>.”</p><p>You held your breath.</p><p>“There are so many out there that are just waiting for the proper opportunity to take what does not belong to them. All that you have right now <em>belongs</em> to <em>you</em>.”</p><p>A quiet pulse vibrated in the inner pocket of your jacket and you tensed, securing your facial expression into one of obliviousness. <em>Did she know about </em>it<em>?</em></p><p>Out loud, you huffed. “Well, that was incredibly cryptic. Thanks.”</p><p>“Don’t joke around now, this is crucial.” You furrowed your eyebrows at the woman who had practically raised you. She seemed like a completely different person now. Stern. Intimidating. “You must promise me you’ll do as I’ve said.”</p><p>A beat.</p><p>“I promise,” you nodded firmly, a feeling of something locking that statement in place settling in the air around you.</p><p>Her eyes held yours for a moment longer. “Good. Now, run or I’ll whoop your backside with one of father’s old fish hook swords.”</p><p>With a face of pure disgust and apprehension, you glared at your cackling older sister who nudged you forward. She was seemingly her normal self again.</p><p>“Bye!” you waved thrice from the left and to the right, walking backwards to see her wave back.</p><p>“Bye, I love you!”</p><p>And so, you turned with a rising smile and ran towards the new beginning of your life.</p><p><em>Though you knew,</em> you chanced a look back and saw your sister holding her head in her hands, crouched down on the ground, <em>it wouldn’t necessarily be a good one.</em></p><p>*</p><p>The port was different from how you remembered it.</p><p>Granted, you were last there when you were only a child, but back then even the air felt harsher. The sound of the falls rushed to your ears and you stopped to breathe in the calming smell of salt water. It was one of your favourite things in the world; the feeling of untamed waves of the ocean. The illusion of your childhood flowed up to the surface of your subconscious mind, your body simultaneously relaxing and preparing to run. To run towards those that had left you. Alone.</p><p><em>Right</em>, you scowled, opening your eyes to the reality, seeing a ship of impressive size set sail towards the drop of the falls. <em>I hate the port.</em></p><p>“Nameless! Gather!”</p><p>Your head turned to the caller. A man was standing some dozen meters away from you, his features led by a smile. Picking up your luggage from the moss-covered stone, you narrowed your eyes at the one beckoning the new students of the academy. Even from afar, he looked handsome.</p><p>You started towards his figure that stood by the shoreline and the closer you got, the lighter you felt. It was like all the negative energy you had collected was fading away. Widening your eyes, you paused at the semi-circle that had already formed before the man.</p><p>The new students were excitedly looking around, most of their attention being focused on the handsome stranger. All of them had large grins plastered on their faces. Yet, you felt something was off. They seemed… <em>too</em> happy, almost. You felt your eyesight becoming unfocused and tried shaking away the blurriness.</p><p>A mute gasp passed your lips as your questioning pulled you off that warmth surrounding you. Grinding your teeth at the shock that felt like cold water being doused inside your body, you realized something. The negative energy was not going away; it was just suppressed.</p><p>You directed your eyes back to the man who was now making small talk with the front row.</p><p>
  <em>Smile, smile, smile.</em>
</p><p>You could see clearly now and the image was equal parts hilarious and uncomfortable. The man was just as handsome and tall as your rigged vision made him out to be, but there were some movements you did not see him making before – like checking his reactor every few moments or massaging his neck. The small gestures were drawn over to make him look more like the perfect academy graduate; the perfect <em>Crescent</em>.</p><p>Concluding the Guide that the academy had sent was an expert Illusionist, you relaxed again, amused by the scene of young students that resembled a family of ducks ruffling behind their mother duck.</p><p>“Funny, right?”</p><p>You nearly jumped out of your skin.</p><p>There was a boy standing next to you, around your age. His eyes were big and round, complimented by dark eye-brows and possibly the cutest nose you had ever seen. He was staring at you with a soft grin that made his eyes smile as well.</p><p>“Yes,” you nodded hesitantly, turning the lever labelled ‘socialization’ inside your head. You returned his expression. “Are you also a new student?”</p><p>“Yup,” he replied, throwing a glance at the guide who was now discussing the weather with a group of love-struck students, male and female alike. “Feels good being illusioned into obedience. Really gives that nice, welcoming touch.”</p><p>You laughed, causing him to focus his attention back to you. “The first thing I wanted to do when I came out of my house today was to go back inside and this first impression thing also isn’t working out all that well.”</p><p>“Ugh, same,” he groaned. “But then again, I’ve wanted to attend the academy since I was a baby, so first impressions aren’t all that important.”</p><p>“True,” you nodded, smirking at the sheer discontent the Guide had on his face as one of the adoring boys in the front started to play with his hair. “I’ve never even thought about not attending the academy. Everyone in my family that had ever existed graduated from it with honours.”</p><p>He whistled. “If you’re planning to follow in their footsteps, you’ve got some competition right here.” He sassily pointed to himself and you let out an amused scoff. Glancing around subtly, you knew he was serious under that joking matter. He was the only one of the gathered that had not been put under the spell.</p><p>“You sure some of that illusion didn’t slip past your brain?” you lightly pushed him as he gasped dramatically, feigning a broken heart.</p><p>“Excuse <em>you</em>, little No Name-!”</p><p>“Nameless!” The Crescent called to his attention with a wave. “Now that we’re all here, let’s get on board!”</p><p>Excitement filled you at his words.</p><p>You were actually going. You were about to board the most famous ship in the lands. The ship that had lived for longer than any elder tree. The ship that would live longer than any of you present.</p><p>“We’re boarding, <em>Aallar</em>, this is actually happening,” the boy beside you practically bounced on his feet.</p><p>
  <em>Aallar? He was still using that archaic form?</em>
</p><p>“Come on, let’s get a move on. Aren’t first year students supposed to be full of energy? I see you slacking over there, tall dimple boy! We’re moving <em>and</em> we’re moving…”</p><p>It was finally your turn to form into the line with the ambitious boy moving behind you.</p><p>The Guide briefly checked the que before nodding to himself. “Okay, let’s go. I have to ask you to please not scream, we don’t want to gather too much attention to ourselves. I’m serious! Cover your mouths!”</p><p>Scoffing, you followed your giggling classmates, putting a hand over your lips. You were stood right by the edges of the port, looking out into the shimmering waters. There was nothing in front of you for miles. Besides, no passer-by was stopping to give you any attention; most likely the work of the Illusionist that was dictating you now. Rolling your eyes at the suspense he had created, you felt a bit stupid for naively executing his orders when there was literally <em>nothing</em> to scream about-</p><p>A shriek shot into sound.</p><p>With your hand muffling your yelp, you staggered backwards into your new-found friend, but thankfully, he was just as shocked by the revelation as you were, with his jaw lowered and eyes wide.</p><p>It was the ship of your dreams, unveiled in less than a heartbeat.</p><p>The first thing that you concluded was its enormous size. At least 10 houses could fit into its interior. The ship’s shape was similar to that of the galleon; its white sails tied to the high masts, five in number. Ocean colours swirled in the reflection on the ship – the image of which you had imagined so many times as a child that what stood before you almost seemed as a familiar face, and yet, you could not believe your eyes as you took in the material. Instead of magic-infused wood or modelled metal, this ancient ship was created from the inner shell of the Pearl Tortoise. With the deck shinning in shades of the inside of a sea shell and the waves reflecting languidly off the translucent white silver, purple and teal… you couldn’t look away.</p><p>Finally, you noticed one last detail; with beautiful script, a single word was engraved into the shell exterior.</p><p><em>Declaration</em>.</p><p>It was real.</p><p>Unexpected tears filled your eyes.</p><p>“It’s… breath-taking,” you whispered to the boy next to you. In the corner of your eye you saw him nod.</p><p>“More beautiful than I could’ve ever imagined her to be. Did you know there are supposedly 300 rooms inside? Also, that shell was a gift from the oldest being of magic known to humanity. The Pearl Tortoise. It was bigger than the entire country of Deoyan, they say.”</p><p>Though your focus was still fully directed to the wondrous galleon, you hummed in acknowledgment of his words.</p><p>You wanted to touch the surface. You wanted to see your reflection in the iridescent colours.</p><p>Your feet took a step forward.</p><p>The sound of waves crashing against the ship became louder, filling your ears with their melody. You were getting closer, you could almost see your silvered features, your hand was reaching out-</p><p>“Hey! What are you doing?”</p><p>You came back to your senses, shaking your head. There was water right before you and you yelped, nearly falling from the edge that you were suddenly standing at. A hand firmly wrapped around your wrist to save you from the drop.</p><p>You were dumb-founded at the situation you were in; were you actually sleep-walking in the daytime?</p><p>You felt the hand holding you tug.</p><p>“Oh, thanks, I don’t know what happened-,” you started with a relieved smile, looking up to the person who saved you when your sight set on the Crescent staring at you - without the previously omnipresent grin.</p><p>He opened his tight-lipped mouth: “How did you-?”</p><p>Seeing your slightly horrified expression, the man sighed, letting go of your hand. It dropped limply. “Never mind. Get back to the que and stay there. Understood?”</p><p>“Yes, sir, I promise,” you hastily nodded, bowing to the Guide and deciding to get back to your previous spot when you felt something shift in the air that made you look at the man again. His sea-blue hair waved in the air, but the rest of him was static.</p><p>“Don’t promise things so easily. Words are <em>binds</em>.” His eyes were so deeply set on you that you shivered. It was like he was trying to take you apart to find out how you clicked. “Go, now.”</p><p>Shaking away the strange energy, you ran back to the wide-eyed boy.</p><p>He immediately started questioning: “What was that about? One second, we were talking and the next, you were falling off the edge? Why did you go over there?”</p><p> A sigh left you. “Look, I don’t know. I just wanted to, uh, see how the surface feels.”</p><p>His face was the epitome of ‘are you serious?’ and you finally felt like you could laugh again.</p><p>Shrugging, you started to walk as the que moved forward. “I guess not sleeping makes you do weird stuff.”</p><p>“Ugh,” he groaned. “Tell me about it. I’ve never seen one of my Hyungs sleep and he acts like a madman at times.”</p><p>“<em>One</em> of your Hyungs?” you raised an eyebrow. “How many of you are there?”</p><p>“Eight,” he answered with pride and you gasped.</p><p>“Eight?! There’s <em>eight</em> of you?!” In your head you gave your regards to his mother. That poor woman, having to bring out <em>eight people</em>-</p><p>“Well, we’re not exactly blood related. I mean we are, but… not really?”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>The boy sheepishly grinned. “It’s a long story. But yes, there are eight of us.”</p><p>“That’s amazing.”</p><p>“Yeah… Watch your step there.”</p><p>“Ah, thanks.”</p><p>Stepping over the slippery pavement with care, you trailed after your contemporaries. As the two of you were the last ones in the line, you had time to observe the others. Most of them were, as per expectation, of darker skin tones, since those in closer contact to nature’s gifts were more susceptible to understanding and attaining their own power. Sun-coloured and coral hair were also easy to find among the academy first years. Even the boy behind you had wonderful gold covering his cheeks and hair, though his eyes were darker than yours.</p><p>The first in the row had already climbed on the deck and you could see the admiration expressed in their turning heads. Feeling more and more impatient, you firmly put your foot onto the invisible plank, not a trace of doubt that it was actually there in your mind – its energy was easy to detect.</p><p>Looking back, you opened your mouth to assure your new friend that it was alright to climb when you were met with the sight of him running to you, an easy smile on his face. Swallowing your words, you returned the gesture and climbed on-board together.</p><p>Immediately, your jaw dropped open.</p><p>“I love ships?” you muttered out your realization and the boy laughed at your tell-tale expression.</p><p>The deck was as wide as a field and overgrown by warmly green grass. There were at least a dozen people standing in it, but your eyes quickly focused on one of the present. A student in an eye-catching dark blue outfit was crouching down, reaching out into the petals. After a moment, he brought out a viciously violet flower, similar to the colour of his hair. The vines wove around his covered hand, seemingly looking for any contact of skin with its sharp points ready to strike. The man cooed at the flower and it simmered down. Your eyes budged.</p><p>“Hey, No Name. Focus.” The boy next to you poked you in your side and you gave him a swift grimace before turning to face your Guide. He was already looking at you. Jumping, you coloured into red.</p><p>“Now that I finally have your <em>attention</em>,” you felt the jab and winced. “I’d like to officially greet you. Welcome, students of the Declaration. Welcome future Crescents.”</p><p>Smiles lit up on your classmates faces, but the blue-haired Crescent’s features darkened. “Or future <em>no ones</em>.”</p><p>You felt cold creep over your skin as the people around you reacted wildly. Some even yelled out in surprise. <em>He removed the illusion.</em></p><p>It was safe to say that he truly grabbed the attention of every first year.</p><p>He smiled again. “It’s nice to meet all of you. I am the academy’s on-board Honour graduate.”</p><p>You tried to exchange a look with your new friend, but he seemed utterly unmoved by this new information. Your eyebrows furrowed.</p><p>“And my <em>name</em> is <em>Yunho</em>.”</p><p>Your head sharply turned back to the man as gasps released from everyone surrounding you. Your own eyes widened.</p><p>A <em>name</em>… Of course, your own sister had acquired one, had gained her <em>identity</em>- but she had kept it for herself, going as far as not even telling you.</p><p>“That is of course not my full name, since I would not want a bunch of first years to have any authority over me,” his eyes twinkled in mirth and you released a breath you were holding. That explained everything, you nodded. But your heart was still beating entirely too quickly. “You can take a look around the ship for a few minutes, but come back after to be sorted into your rooms. Have fun!”</p><p>
  <em>Yunho.</em>
</p><p>It was the first name you had ever heard.</p><p>“Hyung has a pretty name, right?” the boy next to you smiled bright and you started moving your head in agreement, before you registered his words.</p><p>“Wait, <em>Hyung</em>-?”</p><p>“Dongseng!” Your guide, Yunho, jogged over to where you were standing and you had to take a step back at his tall presence. His features were softened. “Were you hiding in the back the whole time?”</p><p>“I didn’t want to see you fumbling with that reactor of yours before the entirety of my contemporaries,” the boy folded his arms as you gaped at the scene.</p><p>Pressing a hand on his chest with a fake-pained expression, the Crescent reminded you way too much of a similar action your friend had made just a few minutes before. “You wound me, really. They were illusioned, anyway!”</p><p>“Yeah, also, about that. I know you thought you’d look super cool or something by illusioning everyone and then revealing the mirage… but I mean, you basically failed.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah? Please, enlighten me; how exactly did I fail?”</p><p>They were a mirror of each-other, older and younger both smirking in their banter.</p><p>“Well, firstly,” the boy sighed. “you have me. I wasn’t put under your spell.”</p><p>Scoffing, the blue-haired elder fondly regarded his younger brother. “That’s not really a surprise, now, is it?”</p><p>“And secondly, <em>she</em> wasn’t impressed either.”</p><p>Two sets of eyes were suddenly on you. A small sound of surprise left your throat.</p><p>Changing his stance, the older brother straightened his back, immediately losing the warmth in his eyes. You flicked a glare to your new friend, who just raised his hands like he had done <em>nothing wrong</em>, ratting you out to support that <em>stupid</em> argument of his...</p><p>“Our youngest already found his academy mate?” You just stood as the boy next to you replied with a happy ‘yep’ and nudged you into the side, making you fall out of your composure. With a smile, the guide offered you his hand which you gingerly shook. After a moment he asked: “So, you really weren’t illusioned?”</p><p>Honey brown eyes stared into yours. Under his gaze, you could merely affirm with a nod.</p><p>“See, I <em>told</em> you. You’re not that cool.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see how you’ll do in the academy and then discuss who is cool and who is not.”</p><p>“Challenge accepted.”</p><p>The men shook hands firmly, smiles reflecting of one another.</p><p>After that, the elder moved away, clasping his hands together and looking in between the two of you. “I have to get back to being a <em>cool</em> Crescent. It was nice to meet you, academy mate of our youngest.”</p><p>The man had the audacity to wink before turning on his heel and walking back to the front of the chatting mass.</p><p>You spluttered. “Is he always like this?”</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>You groaned as your – apparently official – academy mate laughed, throwing an arm around your shoulders.</p><p>“Let’s go explore.”</p><p>***</p><p>
  <em>BONUS:</em>
</p><p>“Wait, I have a serious question.”</p><p>“… Okay, shoot.”</p><p>“He’s your brother… But why is he so tall, while you’re so-.”</p><p>“Don’t you <em>dare</em> finish that sentence.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH !!!</p><p>the first chapter is out ! i hope you enjoyed reading it !!<br/>i wish you an amazing day/night &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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